


a tidal wave of mystery

by gottalovev



Category: Fantastic Four, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Bodyswap, Community: picfor1000, M/M, Pining, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-20 22:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6028363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottalovev/pseuds/gottalovev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"This is borderline creepy," Johnny says. He peers with interest at green goo slowly dripping from a condenser into an Erlenmeyer flask.</p><p>"Storm, you live in the Baxter Building. You go into Reed Richard's lab daily. How can this place even look weird to you?" Peter says, gesturing at the room.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a tidal wave of mystery

**Author's Note:**

> Made as a fill for the community [picfor1000](http://picfor1000.livejournal.com) on LiveJournal, where I had this [wonderful prompt](https://www.flickr.com/photos/23965366@N06/3860216359). 
> 
> Also, I recently fell in love with Peter/Johnny and I couldn't resist using the prompt for the first day of SpideyTorch Week: identity

"This is borderline creepy," Johnny says. He peers with interest at green goo slowly dripping from a condenser into an Erlenmeyer flask.

"Storm, you live in the Baxter Building. You go into Reed Richard's lab daily. How can this place even look weird to you?" Peter says, gesturing at the room.

Johnny grins. "Reed's stuff is all modern and shit. This is old school."

It's true, the lab has minimal technology invented post 1940. A couple of stir plates and regulated heating mantles, that's about it. Its owner tried to rob a bank earlier with, among other things, sentient purple smokescreens. Once captured, Sue had sent them over to search his place.

"Don't get too close, we don't know the chemicals' reactivity," Peter warns.

"Yeah yeah," Johnny says. Peter hears faint clanking that proves he is touching stuff anyway. Then, soon after, "Oh wow, cool! Hey, Spidey, come and see this!"

A safe against the lab's back wall has caught Johnny's attention. It's massive, with black paint that peels away in places to expose bare metal. It has been decorated with golden highlights and lettering, and a rural scene is painted on the door. The handles and lock mechanism are brass, and as a whole it's gorgeous. It's not a surprise to find Johnny turning the dial with enthusiasm. 

"You shouldn't touch it."

Johnny scoffs. "Please. Aren't you curious too?"

"Yeah," Peter admits. He kneels next to Johnny and puts his ear against the door, listening to the mechanism. He can hear the gears ticking when the dial turns.

"So?" Johnny asks, hopeful.

"I think it's doable. Spin the dial several times and let's try this."

"Awesome."

It takes several minutes and a dozen tentative before the main lock finally opens.

"Can you imagine if someone got a picture of us right now?" Peter says. He gestures the lettering of an imaginary Daily Bugle front page. "Headline: 'SPIDER-MAN CAUGHT RED HANDED WHILE PERPETRATING A BURGLARY!'. Then: 'Is the wholesome Human Torch victim of Spider-Man's bad influence?'."

Johnny laughs as he opens the safe's doors. "You know Parker would never sell a picture like that. The guy has morals, thank god."

Peter's stomach drops: he should have come clean about his identity a long time ago. He trusts the Fantastic Four, but he worried that they'd be hurt that he lied to them for so long. To hurt _Johnny_ , because let's be honest, Peter cares about him the most. But the dreaded reveal has to happen one day, and this is a perfect opening if Peter ever had one.

"Speaking of Peter Parker and morals –" Peter starts awkwardly, before he is interrupted.

"Whoa, look!"

The safe's interior is beautiful too. Flowers are painted on the doors, tapestry lines its bottom and the safe looks as if it's meant to hold jewelry. It contains instead small glass vials filled with colorful solutions. Johnny, of course, immediately reaches for one.

"No!" Peter exclaims. 

Startled, Johnny fumbles a vial. It falls from his fingers and breaks on the floor between them, releasing a puff of blue smoke. Peter has no idea what it contains, but the whole world suddenly lurches. When he gets his bearings back, he's looking straight at… Spider-Man.

"Holy fuck, we bodyswapped!" Johnny is looking at his now-gloved hands in fascination, and then touches his new body. "Whoa. Hey, here's your phone!"

"Oh my god." This... this is terrible. Peter imagined many permutations where they ended up in each other's body. He never included this possibility.

Not one to be shocked by a surprise bodyswap for long, Johnny hops on the safe. He follows by climbing up the wall right there and then, to Peter's dismay.

"This is so cool!" Johnny gushes. "So easy!"

"Hey, hey, come back down! You don't know the tricks, you’ll-"

Johnny tries to crawl on the ceiling and predictably loses his grip. He falls right on top of Peter and crushes him to the floor.

"Ow."

The mask hides most of Johnny's expression, but it's unmistakable that he's grinning.

"Ooops." He pauses, tilts his head, and adds, "Wow, I'm hot."

Peter laughs. Of course Johnny's hot, but it shouldn't come as a surprise. "You knew that, you own mirrors!"

"I meant body temp, but thanks," Johnny says as they disentangle and sit. "You're hot too, Spider-Man. I’m honored to be sporting that ass right now!"

"Shut up!" Peter mumbles. "I need to tell you who I am. I meant to say it before, I swear, but since you'll know as soon as you take off the mask..."

"Really? Oh, wow. Are you sure it's okay? I can close my eyes if I take it off," Johnny offers.

Good old Johnny, he's adorable sometimes. 

"No, no, it's fine. Overdue even. I hope you don't hate me? Please don't hate me." 

It would be devastating.

"I know you?" Johnny tensed up.

"Yeah." Heart racing, Peter offers his hand. "Hi. Peter Parker."

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Johnny leaps up, rips the mask off and seeks a reflective surface. "Holy cow!" he adds at the confirmation in a glass panel.

He's smiling so widely that it throws Peter for a loop. "You're not angry?"

"What? No way! My two crushes are the same person, this is fantastic!" Johnny says.

"Crushes? Two?" Peter is completely confused. Did Johnny just say he has a crush on him?

Johnny comes over and offers a hand. Unused to the strength, he hauls Peter up with too much force, bumping them together.

"Uh huh. I'll kiss you later, now would be weird, even for me. Okay?" 

"Okay." Is this really happening?

Johnny winks playfully, which looks stupid with Peter's face. He swears to never do it again. Still holding Peter's hand, Johnny pulls him towards the door. 

"Come on, outside, I need to teach you how to flame on!"

"Okay," Peter repeats, still rebooting at the idea that Johnny _likes_ him. That there will be kissing later. He's definitely fine with that. "Okay."

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of things in these handy dandy End Notes:
> 
> 1) I know, I know, I'd be curious to see where that leads, too! But I had to limit the fic to 1000 words for the challenge (for now!)
> 
> 2) Again, the visual prompt, the safe, is [here](https://www.flickr.com/photos/23965366@N06/3860216359). If you check the photograph's flickr, there are more pictures including the interior, it's magnificent. I want one.
> 
> 3) The title is parts of the lyrics of "Safe and Sound" by the Capital Cities. (Get it? Safe? Happy song? it's a concept!)
> 
> 4) Yesterday I opened a fandom tumblr [@gottalovev](http://gottalovev.tumblr.com), though I already have one for stuff I like that I have barely used lately [@mariloucoco](http://gottalovev.tumblr.com). go figure ;) . New friends and asks are welcome at both! Come and squee with me anytime :)
> 
> 5) Finally, allow me a special mention to Traincat, who is a terribly effective enabler for this pairing ;)
> 
> If you are still with me, thank you for reading!


End file.
